Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Top Gun: Mavericksaw Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer return to the Navy, but Kelly McGillis—who portrayed theJack Reacheractor’s love interest in the 1986 film—was notably absent in the follow-up. The actress, now 66, once claimed that she was not invited to be in the sequel and that her appearance was the reason behind her exclusion. She revealed something to ET during an exclusive interview that has sparked discussions and raised eyebrows in the film industry.
During her interview, McGillis was completely honest about why she was never called back to reprise her Charlie Blackwood role, blaming it on body shaming and ageism. Well, it can’t be denied that she has become a symbol of resiliency and tenacity by bringing attention to the heartbreaking reality that many Hollywood stars face.
Read more:“Russell never forgave Tom”: Truth Behind the Concerning Rumors of Tom Cruise-Russell Crowe Beef Over Nicole Kidman During The Mummy
Why Kelly McGillis Wasn’t In Tom Cruise’sTop Gun: Maverick
Charlie Blackwood, the stunning love interest ofTom Cruise‘s character Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, was played by Kelly McGillis in the 1986 Tony Scott film. In the end, it was decided to appropriately reintroduce Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly) fromTop Gunrather than reuniting Maverick with Charlie. But, according to McGillis, there was another reason she was not called back for the Top Gun sequel: her age and appearance.
The 66-year-old actress toldETthat she did not get asked back to play the role again in the Joseph Kosinski-directed follow-up. She attributed the cause to her “age” and appearance. In her words:
“Oh my god no. They did not, nor do I think they would ever. I mean, I’m old and I’m fat, and I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about.”
Fortunately, her very realistic explanation seemed to have no negative effect on McGillis. She claimed that rather than placing a value on everything else, she would much rather feel comfortable with her identity and with what she was at her age:
“I’d much rather feel absolutely secure in my skin and who and what I am at my age, as opposed to placing a value on all that other stuff.”
She explained to ET that she left Hollywood to “sober” up and concentrate on raising her family, and that is why she was not particularly excited to see the $1.496 billion filmTop Gun: Maverick:
“Honestly, I got sober…It just didn’t become a priority. What became the priority initially was raising my girls and being the best sober parent I could be. My priorities in life changed..”
Read more:“He tries super hard to be a nice person”: Thandiwe Newton Had the Same Concern About Working With Tom Cruise That Bugged Brad Pitt
Kelly McGillis Initially Did Not Want To Play Charlie Blackwood InTop Gun?
Kelly McGillishas always had positive memories of her time on TonyScott’sTop Gun. However, she hesitated to take the role when it was first offered to her. She did not anticipate being chosen for a feature film because of her height and distinctive physical attributes. The actress toldThe Guardianin 2001:
“My whole image of myself was a tall, fat, geeky, ugly girl that nobody liked. I thought I was too tall for the movies – I’m still taller than anyone I work with. It never crossed my mind that someone might want to hire me for a movie.”
She would later receive an offer to play Charlie Blackwood, Tom Cruise’s romantic interest inTop Gun.However, McGillis needed a lot of persuasion to agree to star in the movie:
“I didn’t want to do it – there. But because I’d done Witness, I owed Paramount another film, and my agent said, ‘You have to do this.’ I took one look at it and said, ‘This is like a western in the sky – I don’t wanna do this’.”
But McGillis would eventually give in and try the movie. Although she said she enjoyed working on the project, in the end, she claimed it was just a job:
“It wasn’t about acting, it was about being a cartoon character. You know what I mean? I could have done it blindfolded..”
Critics praised Paramount Pictures’Top Gun: Maverick,with many claiming it to be better than the original. In addition, it won Best Sound out of six nominations for the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and garnered a host of other honors. With a global box office receipt of $1.496 billion, the movie became the second highest-grossing movie of 2022.
WatchTop Gun: Maverickon Amazon Prime Video.
Read more:“Apparently, I’m not Scientology material”: Tom Cruise’s Religion Rejected John Stamos, Asked Him About Committing Crimes
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
